Universal attachment stand



Feb- 8, 1949 l H. E. GElzE ET AL 2,430,880

UNIVERSAL ATTACHMENT STAND Filed Feb. 20, 1946 ,Imm/tor I By' PatentedFeb. 8, 1949 UNITED STAT Es PATENT olf-Fics Y Application February Ourinvention relates to novel and useful improvements and structuralrefinementsin universal attachment stands, and applies particularly tothose used for `afsljustable mounting of dial indicators. In standsconventionally employed for this purpose, a plurality of rods, slidableclamps and adjustable couplingsare usually used for attaching theindicator to a solid base, and by loosening the knurled set screws withwhich such clamps and couplings are customarily provided and by rotatingor sliding the associated rods, the indicator can be adjusted invseveral positions and at various angles with respect to the Work.

However, the adjustment of a multitude of set screws Voften becomes atedious task and if particular care is not taken to tighten each screwsecurely, a carefully planned adjustment is often easilyl disturbedl byundesirable shifting of the rods when the indicator is placed inoperation. It is therefore the principal object of this invention'toprovide a device ofthe character herein described,.in which the numberof adjusting set .screws employed isreduced to a minimum,

- and where a universal attachment, adjustable under resilient pressure,is used for supporting the indicator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stand which willfacilitate the use of the indicator in restricted locations, where gagessupported by conventional means could not be satisfactorily employed.

Another object of the invention is to provide f1 claim. (c1. 28a-87).,

a stand which is easily adjustable, yet in which the adjustment cannotbe easily disturbed when the indicator is being used.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a stand which isof simple construction and which may be readily disassembled forcleaning or for repair purposes.

With the above more important objects in view, and such other objects asmay become apparent as this specification proceeds, the inventionconsists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the stand.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal, side elevational view of the universalattachment, per se.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the plane of the line 4-4 inFigure 3.

Figure 5 is an end view of one of the casings used in the universalattachment.

Like characters of reference are used to desig- 2 natelike parts in thespecification and throughout the several "views..

Referring now to the/accompanying Vdrawings indetail, the inventionconsists of a base plate I provided with an aperture 2 into which ispressed,

the lower, reduced endV 3 of a vertical standard 4.

lThe latter is of a circular cross-sectional conguration and carries anadjustable clamp 5 of conventional design, which is slidable Yon thestandard and may be secured at any, desired height thereon by tighteningthe set screw E. The clamp 5 is also provided with a horizontal bore 'Iin which is aslidable extension arm 8. This extension arm' may besecuredin any desired position by tightening the set screw 9, and isscrew-threaded atrthe end Ill thereof, to engage an internally-threadedbore of a vcoupling II.

The remaining end of this coupling receives the end of an extension linkI2, which is secured thereinxby 'means of the set screw I3. The link I2constitutes a part oi the universal attachment assembly I4 which `is theessencev of this invention,v and is clearly illustrated intheaccompanying Figures', 4 and 5.

The assembly I4 comprises a pair of longitu-V dinally aligned,complemental members I5 and I6, consisting of cylindrical casings I'1and provided with an internally-threaded portion I`8 at the adjacentends thereof. The remaining end of each casing is rounded in theillustrated manner, to provide a semi-spherical socket I9, designed toreceive a swivel ball 2G'. One of these balls is formed integrally withthe afore-mentioned link I2 which protrudes out of the member I6 througha transverse slot 2| formed in the socket i9, while the remaining ofsaid balls is formed integrally with an extension link 22, protrudingthrough a similar slot formed in the socket end of the member I5.

Slidable in each of the casings I1 are the concave followers 23, whichare urged against the balls 20 by means of the compression springs 24and 25. A cap 25, provided with an externally threaded adapter 2l isscrewed into the internally threaded portion I`8 of the member I5 and asimilar cap 28 engages the like portion formed in the member I6. The cap.25 is provided with a central aperture 29 through which extends theshank Se of a swivel bolt SI, the head 3.?. of which is slidable insidethe casing I'I of the member I5.

The threaded end of the shank 3i) is secured in a threaded bore 33formed centrally in the cap 28, and the members I5 and It are heldtogether in frictional contact by the resiliency of 3 a coil spring 34,interposed between the cap 26 and the underside of the head 32.

The afore-mentioned springs 24 and 25 extend from the followers 23 tothe head 32 and the cap 2B respectively, and it will be noted that whenassembled, the members I5 and i6 maybe independently rotated about theaxis thereof.

A plurality of blind apertures 35 are provided on theperipheryzoithecaps Zoran@ 2,3', whereby: v the latter-maybef-tightenedagainst the ends :of l n the casings I1 by using a suitable hand bar. In

addition, a knurled surface 3B is formed on theY outside of the casings,so that theggsamefmayibe w conveniently rotated, or easily drawn apartagainst the resiliency of the spring 34,Wh`enfits desired to disassemblethe various components for repairs. 1 t, With reference to theillustrated structure remaining undescribed in the accompanying Figures1 and 2, the afore-rnentioned link 22 carries at Vthe `free endlthereoffan adaptor `31; which? yis secured thereon by meansofars'et,screw-#38sv :This adaptor. :.is, inturn,v provided. `with'a/projecting g shoulder `v39 to which 'is .attached itheldial-indiicatorftil by meansofrabolt 4l.

When: the linvention is placed 'in operation,. the clampand the adaptorlshould .frstabe adE justed so` as :tof hold. they indicator Ml :inapproxie mately=therequired position, whereupon thein dicator maybermoved 1in `any required directionand through any desiredL angle bythe combined virtues'of -theluniversal attachment assembly 1.4; Thisattachment; inaddition to. the adjustment. provided vby .the clamp-i 5`and the vadaptor 3l', fa-

cilitatesindependent rotation of fthe ca-singsfelfl, i

andzprovides for lateral .movement l of. bot-h. the links? i2'gand'222inthe slots 2l; asexemplified by thelphantornlinesf. f

It should; ofcourse, befunderstoodl1 that the linesez: indicate lonlytwoA ofY several,countless positions to which; the attachment may-bead-fjusted. and whileinv order to preserve clearness in-'the drawings, nofurther .positionsehave been shown, the possibility ofvariousothenzadiuste:

4 ments and combinations of adjustments will be readily apparent.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredembodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changesin the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scopeafflitti-rivelati@ as Claimant..v

What =we claim as our Linventionis A universal connector comprising incombination, a pair of independently rotatablesubstantiallygtubglar*housing members disposed in a longitudinallyaligned rennen, abutting caps -v provided iat-the 1adjacent ends of saidmembers,

theremaining ends of said members forming`substantiallyj'segnifspherical sockets and being The following"reierencesare `of recordin the file l of- .this -patentz tSimms. PATENTS

